Derbyshire v Kent day 1

Kent 285 (Leaning 82*, Bell-Drummond 69, Crawley 53, Aitchison 4-83, Dal 2-29)

Derbyshire 1-1

Derbyshire trail by 284 runs

For a good part of today, Derbyshire's decision to put Kent in looked like rebounding on them, as the visiting top order played some fine shots.

Until mid-afternoon they looked set for three hundred and plenty, but Anuj Dal took a sharp caught and bowled to remove Billings and the decline began.

Dal was the best bowler on the day, keeping a nagging line and length throughout that made the batsmen work. He is high on confidence at present, has a wide smile to evidence his enjoyment and is looking good. Fair play to the lad for all his hard work to get to this stage. 

Yet it was Aitchison who ran through the tail after getting hit a little earlier in the day. He nipped it around and just enough to keep taking the edge. Conners came back with two wickets with the second new ball, after his first one was unusually lacklustre. 

Aitchison also held a fine catch at slip, but Guest had a less effective day, putting down two chances behind the stumps before partially redeeming himself with a smart stumping off Critchley. 

It was nice to see Dustin Melton back and he bowled with decent pace, even if the line and length was off at times. The overs will do him good and I hope that next season brings better fortune for him and his fitness. The wicket of Crawley was fair reward for some sharp deliveries. 

Bell-Drummond and Crawley batted stylishly for the visitors, the former looking a player of very high class. Meanwhile Jack Leaning, a player who always seems to do well against us, made an unbeaten 82, but should have done much more as wickets started to fall. For Kent to go from 237-3 to 285 all out was disappointing from their perspective, but especially so when the batsman was happy to knock one from the first ball and watch them topple from the other end. 

That end came so quickly that there was even time for Derbyshire to face two overs before the close. Sadly, that was too much for Came, who played on to his stumps off the inside edge. A similar fate befell Cox at the start of the Kent innings and one or two others came close as the ball perhaps bounced unexpectedly. 

Something for our batsmen to watch for tomorrow, when we must hope for batting of Leicestershire late day three and four vintage, rather than what we have seen for much of the rest of the season. 

I will put up links for your comments tomorrow, but right now I am off to pack a bag for the holidays! 

Where's that bucket and spade..?!